COMMON GOLDEN EYE. 441 



COMMON GOLDEN EYE. 



(Fuligula dangula, Bonap. Synops. No. 342. Clangula vulgaris, 

 Leach. Flemixg. Rich, and Swaixs. North. Zool. ii. p. 456. 

 Anas clangula, Linn. Lath. Ind. ii. sp. 87. Temm. ii. p. 870. 

 Wilson, viii. p. C2. pi. 67. fig. 6. [male.] Golden Eye, Penn. Arct. 

 Zool. No. 486. Ib. Brit. Zool. p. 154. t. Q. [male and female.] 

 Ibid. Morillon, {Anas glaucion,) ii. p. 300. F. [young.] Le Garrot. 

 Buff. Ois. ix. p. 222. PI. Eulum. 802. Clangula, Gesnek. 

 JoHNST. and Klein, [male.] Phil Museum, No. 2921.) 



Sp. Charact. — Speculum white; under wing coverts black; tail 

 rounded, of 16 feathers. — Male white; back, wings, and tail 

 black, feathers of the head tumid, purplish-green; a roundish 

 white spot on either side near the base of the bill. Female cinere- 

 ous ; beneath white ; head and adjoining part of tlie neck umber- 

 brown, and without the white spot on the face. 



The Golden Eye is a common inhabitant of the boreal 

 reofions of both continents, from whence it mio-rates in small 

 flocks at the approach of winter, accompanying the Velvet, 

 Surf Duck, and Scoter, in their desultory route in quest of 

 subsistence. On their way, soon after the commencement 

 of their adventurous voyage, they visit the shores of Hud- 

 son's Bay, and their congenial lakes in the interior, on 

 which they linger, feeding on tender and small shell-fish, 

 until debarred by the invasion of frost. They breed in all 

 parts of the desolate and remote fur countries in great num- 

 bers, frequenting the rivers and fresh-water lakes, on whose 

 borders they pass the period of reproduction, making a rude 

 nest of grass, and protecting the necessary warmth of their 

 eggs by a layer of feathers or down plucked from the breast. 

 According to Linnaeus it lays from 7 to 10 white eggs, which 

 it often conceals and protects with its nest in hollow trees. 

 And Skioldebrand adds, that in common with the Velvet 

 Duck, it breeds abundantly in Lapland, on the banks of the 



